Dacic affirms support for OSCE missions, institutions

VIENNA - Ivica Dacic, the Serbian foreign minister and OSCE chairperson-in-office (CiO), talked in Vienna on Thursday with heads of the OSCE field operations and institutions about the key issues in the OSCE region in 2015, and offered support to their work.

"Serbia, a country where OSCE has been present for a long time, attaches great importance to the OSCE field operations and affirms our commitment to support their activities", OSCE cited Dacic on Friday as saying during the talks in Vienna.

Serbia has unequivocally supported OSCE institutions and will do so in the course of its Chairmanship even more vigorously, emphasized Dacic.

"We believe that independent institutions are an asset of the OSCE in both terms - as a guardian of OSCE principles and standards and as structures assisting participating States in their compliance with OSCE commitments," he said.

Dacic stressed the importance of remaining in close contact with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Director Michael Georg Link, High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors and Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic.

The OSCE CiO expressed full support to the work of his Special and Personal Representatives, in particular those who are dealing with the protracted conflicts, and stressed their invaluable role in assisting all efforts which could lead towards conflict resolution.

"Our first and foremost responsibility will be to work with all stakeholders in order to bring back peace and stability to Ukraine. We are all aware how serious the situation in Ukraine is. The country needs sustainable support in stabilizing the situation in the East, as well as in implementing far-reaching reforms and pursuing...